Vinod Mehta (1941 – 8 March 2015) was an Indian journalist who was the founder editor-in-chief of Outlook from 1995 to 2012. An eminent political commentator, he also wrote a numbe of books. He remained editor of several publications like The Pioneer, The Sunday Observer, The Independent and The Indian Post.[2]

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Mehta was born in Rawalpindi, in West-Punjab of undivided India. His family migrated to India when he was three. He grew up as an army boy from a Punjabi refugee family in the syncretic culture of Lucknow of the 1950s—an experience that turned him into an unflagging 'secularist'. He attended La Martinere school in Lucknow and the university there. Leaving home with a BA third class degree, he experimented with a string of jobs, including that of a factory hand in suburban Britain, before accepting an offer to edit Debonair in 1974, a men's magazine.

Mehta lived in New Delhi. He was married to Sumita Paul, a journalist who has worked for the Pioneer and the Sunday Times of India. He also has a daughter from an old affair from his younger days. He said nobody, other than his wife, knew about his daughter until he wrote about it in his memoir. He said he spoke to his wife and she encouraged him to write about it.[3]

Mehta died in New Delhi on 8 March 2015, after a prolonged illness.[4]

Mehta became one of India's most influential editors by launching a number of successful publications such as the Sunday Observer, Indian Post, The Independent, The Pioneer (Delhi edition) and, finally, Outlook.[5] He was editorial chairman of the Outlook Group.[citation needed]

Vinod Mehta has authored a biography of Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi, and published (in 2001) a collection of his articles under the title Mr Editor, How Close Are You to the PM? His much acclaimed memoir,[1]Lucknow Boy, was published in 2011.

Mehta was a TV Panelist and frequently appeared on TV shows like Newshour on Times Now and India at 9 at CNN-IBN. He was called upon by News anchors as a senior journalist and was sought after for his analysis of major issues and scenarios. He remained editor-in-chief of Outlook till February 2012. [6]